A Lancaster man will serve at least 3½ years in state prison for robbing a local Turkey Hill and planning to rob two other stores before police interrupted those plots.

Zachary Taylor Frey, 24, recently pleaded guilty in Lancaster County Court to felony counts of robbery, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery – in exchange for a 3 ½-to-8-year prison term.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman negotiated the plea agreement, which was accepted and ordered by Lancaster County Judge James Cullen.

Frey targeted three convenience stores within 90 minutes in the early morning of July 3.

- About 1 a.m., he went to a Turkey Hill on Centerville Road in East Hempfield Township, and milled around the front of the store when a police officer pulled into the parking lot. Frey told a man who drove him to the store, “The cops are in there,” and didn’t go through with the robbery.
- About 2 a.m., Frey robbed a Turkey Hill in Mountville at gunpoint. He demanded cash and Newport cigarettes from a female clerk. He fled the store with $19 worth of items.
- Shortly after that, he went to a Getty in Millersville. He entered the store with the gun, but ditched the gun – which was a pellet gun – on the floor of the store. Police were outside and arrested him.

Kyle Gerlitski, the driver of the vehicle, also was charged. He has a guilty plea hearing scheduled for January 7.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright